Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland

Information

The Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland acts as agent for and banker to the Government. The Central Bank is responsible for printing euro notes and minting euro coins - this activity takes place in the Currency Centre of the bank.

The Bank is now a member of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). The ESCB comprises the European Central Bank and the national central banks of the 12 European Union states that have adopted the euro. The tasks of the ESCB include conducting foreign exchange operations for the Eurozone countries, managing official currency reserves within each country and promoting the smooth operating of financial institutions.

The Central Bank was formerly responsible for licensing most financial institutions in Ireland, including banks, building societies and a broad-range of non-bank firms, including stock brokers, investment intermediaries, futures exchanges based in the Irish Financial Services Centre, the Irish Stock Exchange and collective investment schemes. This function has now been taken over by Ireland's Financial Regulator (previously known as the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority).

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